Help.... Chowder is too clingy in the car & bed

tonytones · Feb 5, 2015

hi guys... a couple dilemmas here. we love chowder and want to be around him ALL the time. However when we're driving and sleeping (sometimes) we wouldnt mind him away from us.

how did you guys get your dog to like or stay still in the booster seat of your car. chowder is a 23lb 10 month old and loves looking out the window on my lap. Its not only bad for me, but dangerous for him as well.

Also how can we get him to adjust and like a bed. The first thing he does when we buy a new dog bed is pee on it and it becomes useless. Let me know your thoughts.

Thank you!

Cbrugs · Feb 5, 2015

The booster seat I use has a clip that attaches to Jax's harness so he has to stay put. If he wasn't in his seat, he would be all over me as well.

No help with the sleeping as Jax sleeps in our bed every night. I think he (and I) would be devastated if he left now.

davidh · Feb 5, 2015

We use crates at night, even when we travel, plus we crate them in the car, but sometimes on short trips we don't, so I just make them stay in their set.

winginit66 · Feb 5, 2015

This is my setup. They are all harnessed in. And they stay there. Not for long trips, just to Starbucks on Sat/Sun.

Can't help you with sleeping as Gidget is in bed with us. Olivia and Wilson.... Not yet.

mmclean · Feb 6, 2015

Radar was originally in a bucket booster that hung over the car headrest and he couldn't get out of it. When he grew too big for it the transition to the booster was easy and he never leaves it. Maybe treats and using the harness to keep him in and don't let him stay on your lap. Put him back in the booster each time he tries to jump out.

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Squishy Walnuts · Feb 6, 2015

I don't have a booster seat for my dogs, I just make them stay in the backseat. Was Chowder crate trained? Perhaps start leaving him in his crate at night to get him used to sleeping elsewhere. I never let my dogs sleep with me, they always had their own crate and now their own beds.

Cbrugs · Feb 6, 2015

winginit66 said:
This is my setup. They are all harnessed in. And they stay there. Not for long trips, just to Starbucks on Sat/Sun.

View attachment 5379

Can't help you with sleeping as Gidget is in bed with us. Olivia and Wilson.... Not yet.

When did you teach Gidget how to drive? Lol

Jakeyjake · Feb 6, 2015

winginit66 said:
This is my setup. They are all harnessed in. And they stay there. Not for long trips, just to Starbucks on Sat/Sun.

View attachment 5379

Can't help you with sleeping as Gidget is in bed with us. Olivia and Wilson.... Not yet.

What an adorable picture of all of them!

Jakeyjake · Feb 6, 2015

We have an suv with a cover on the back seat and both dogs just stay back there. Jake likes to look out the window and well Stella is just kind of afraid so she lays down as close to Jake as possible...or in some cases on him!

As others have said, I would try the booster with a harness and treats.
If Stella has not gone out, her favorite place to pee is on a dog bed too. She is afraid of the dog door and will not use it, so it is up to us to always take her out. It is usually our fault if she pees on the bed because we didn't take her out and she needed to go. Is Chowder neutered? Is he marking?
Crate training is a good idea too. Jake was initially crate trained and then once I discovered his temperment was so laid back we put him in bed with us, around 10 mos. old. Maybe you could buy a bed/pad that is made for outdoors. I have a couple and if Stella pees on it, it doesn't soak through. It's kind of like Sunbrella fabric. It's by Animals Matter (warning, kind of $$$) and they wash up great.

Alice Kable · Feb 6, 2015

We crate our dogs in the car. If Buster had a choice he would ride shotgun, but he doesn't! Our dogs sleep in their own crates in the laundry room.

shortstuff · Feb 9, 2015

When we brought Bisou home, we tried the back seat briefly, which resulted in peeing and crawling under the seats... what a nightmare! She spent most of the 4-5 hour drive on my lap in the passenger seat. I bring her to work with me a few times a week, so even though it's a short 15 minute drive, we've had lots of practice now! For about a month or two, she would be in her carrier strapped in to the front seat. Then I took her out of the carrier and let her sit in the back seat. After a couple weeks of that, she upgraded to the passenger seat. It was difficult to get her to stay in her seat, but I more or less trained her to be happy in the passenger seat by keeping one hand on her. The comfort of my hand resting on her made her realize it wasn't so bad to not be on my lap. Now she rides in her spot no problem, either napping or looking out the window.

Long story short, I'd start with crating her and work your way up to it. It's hard to work on training while you're driving, so perhaps a transitional period might work!